About The Eye

The eye is a sensory organ connected to the brain by the optic nerve, as illustrated below. The white outer coat of the eye is the sclera. The clear jelly filling the eye is the vitreous. The cornea and lens at the front of the eye focus images on the retina. The retina lines the inside of the back of the eye and functions as film does in a camera. It receives light through the pupil, the opening at the front of the eye, and sends messages to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain interprets these messages as sight. The choroid is a pigmented tissue full of blood vessels which nourish the retina.